( dpa ) - Tokyo stocks opened lower Wednesday on weak capital spending data.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 27.87 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 12,964.41.
The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 5.22 points, or 0.41 per cent, to 1,260.44.
Japanese firms' capital spending declined 7.7 per cent in the October-December period from a year earlier, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.
Non-manufacturers spent 12 per cent less on plant and equipment in the quarter compared to a year before, while manufacturers spent 0.5 per cent more.
On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 103.35-40 yen, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 103.16-19 yen.
The euro was quoted at 1.5205-10 dollars, up from Tuesday's 5 pm quote of 1.5176-79 dollars, and at 157.22-27 yen, up from 156.59-63 yen.